Indicating arrangement



Dec. 13, 1966 P. TOTH ETAL INDICATING ARRANGEMENT Filed Feb. 14, 1964INVENTORS:

PETER TOTH MANFRED DORIZZ1 BY flmkwg fnur THEIR ATTORNEY? United StatesPatent Ofiiice 3,292,174 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 3,292,174 INDICATINGARRANGEMENT Peter Tth, Kloten, Zurich, and Manfred Dorizzi, Zurich,

Switzerland, assignors to Contraves AG, Zurich, Switzerland Filed Feb.14, 1964, Ser. No. 344.887 Claims priority, application Switzerland,Feb. 15, 1963, 1,956/ 63 13 Claims. (Cl. 340-381) The present inventionrelates to an indicating arrangement which allows for visual observationof the condition of various electronic apparatus, such as bistableswitching elements including flip-flop stages, digital storageassemblies and others. It is also an object of the present invention toprovide a novel receptacle for indicating lamps and similar opticalindicators which may be utilized in an indicating arrangement of theabove outlined characteristics.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a verysimple, inexpensive and lightweight indicating arrangement which may beutilized for visual observation of the condition of one or moreelectronic apparatus, which may be rapidly and conveniently converted toindicate the condition of one, two or more electronic apparatus, whichcan be manipulated by persons having little technical knowledge, andwhich occupies little room so that it may be mounted on the front wall,side wall or top wall of an instrument housing or the like.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a novelreceptacle which may be utilized in an indicating arrangement of theabove outlined characteristics, which may be installed or removed byhand and with exertion of small forces, which is of eye-pleasingappearance, which may be stacked with a series of similar receptacles toform a compact assembly which is easy to oversee, and which may bemanufactured of readily available materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle of the justoutlined characteristics which is capable of exposing a large part of anindicator lamp without any danger that the lamp would become detachedtherefrom, which protects the lamp from glare, dust and/ or accidentalbreakage, and which may be constructed with a view to accommodatedifferent types of indicating lamps.

An additional object of the instant invention is to provide a receptaclewhich, though readily detachable from a supporting panel, is heldthereon without any play so that the panel may be shaken, vibrated orotherwise agitated without any danger that the receptacle would becomeaccidentally separated therefrom.

With the above objects in view, one feature of our invention resides inthe provision of an indicating arrangement which comprises a panelhaving a front side provided with a preferably horizontal aperture orcutout bounded by a pair of substantially parallel edge portions, and atleast one one-piece receptacle which preferably consists of elasticsynthetic plastic material and is detachably secured to the panel. Eachreceptacle comprises a plate-like carrier whose rear side is adjacent tothe front side of the panel and extends vertically across the apertureto abut against the edge portions of the panel, an observation openingprovided in the carrier in front of the aperture, a holder provided atthe rear side of the carrier and defining a lamp-receiving socket whichcommunicates with the opening of the carrier so that a lamp accommodatedin the socket may be observed from the front side of the panel, and apair of clamping devices at least one of which is elastic and each ofwhich is provided at the rear side of the carrier to engage one edgeportion of the panel and to thus provide a detachable connection betweenthe receptacle and the panel.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theimproved receptacle itself, however, both as to its construction and themethod of mounting it on a panel, together with additional features andadvantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of thefollowing detailed description of a specific embodiment with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of an indicatingarrangement comprising a panel and three receptacles each of which isconstructed, assembled and mounted in accordance with our invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through one of thereceptacles as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IIII ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section as seen in the direction of arrows from theline IIIIII of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section as seen in the direction of arrows fromthe line IVIV of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, and first to FIG. 1, there is shown anindicating arrangement which comprises a metallic or plastic panel 3having a rectangular aperture or cutout 30 which is bounded by an upperhorizontal edge portion 31 and a lower horizontal edge portion 32. Theaperture 30 accommodates three one-piece receptacles 1, 1a, 1b each ofwhich is constructed and mounted in accordance with our invention andone of which, namely, the receptacle 1, is illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4.Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be noted that each receptaclecomprises a rectangular plate-like carrier 10 which is provided with anelongated centrally located rectangular observation opening 11 extendingvertically at right angles to the edge portions 31, 32 and allowing forobservation of three indicator lamps 2 which are mounted behind therespective carriers. Each observation opening 11 regis ters with theaperture 30 and each carrier 10 comprises at its longitudinal ends amarginal portion which abuts against the front side of the panel 3. Themanner in which the indicator lamps 2 may be inserted into and removedfrom their respective sockets, and the manner in which each carrier 10may be detached from the marginal portions 31, 32 of the panel-3 will bedescribed in connection with FIGS. 2 to 4.

FIG. 2 shows that the receptacle 1 comprises a rectangular frame 12which surrounds the observation opening 11 and extends beyond the frontside (left-hand side) of the carrier 10. This frame 12 may accommodate asmall pane of glass or transparent plastic and it also protects the lamp2 from accidental breakage or from glare.

The rear side of the carrier 10 is integral with a substantiallycylindrical holder 13 which is tangential thereto and defines acylindrical lamp-receiving socket 131 whose axis is perpendicular to theedge portions 31, 32 when the receptacle 1 is installed in the panel 3.The lower end of the holder 13 is open so that the lamp 2 may beinserted from below whereby its sealed neck portion 121 extends througha hole provided in a bracket 15 which is integral with the holder 13 andextends rearwardly from the rear side of the carrier 10. The frontportion of the holder 13 is formed with an elongated cutout whichconstitutes the innermost zone of the observation opening 11 andcommunicates with the socket 131 so that a person standing in front ofthe panel 3 (i.e., at the front side of the carrier 10) may observe alarge portion of the indicator lamp 2 when the latter is properlyinserted in the socket 131 and when the carrier 10 of the receptacle 1is properly attached to the panel 3 so that its holder 13 is adjacent tothe rear side of the panel.

The receptacle 1 further comprises two clamping devices which serve tosecure the carrier 10 to the edge portions 31, 32. The upper clampingdevice comprises the aforementioned bracket 15 which carries anelastically deformable bifurcated arm 16 extending forwardly toward thecarrier and having two nose-like end portions 161 each provided with aforwardly and downwardly inclined locking face 160 which may be movedinto abutment with the rear side of the edge portion 31. The rear end ofthe arm 16 is connected to or is preferably integral with the bracket ata point which is spaced from the carrier 10 so that the end portions 161may be moved in an arc in directions toward and away from the hole 130in the front portion of the bracket 15. The end portions 161 may bemoved in actual abutment with the bracket 15 to limit the extent towhich the arm 16 may be deformed in a counterclockwise direction, asviewed in FIG. '2.

The lower clamping device of each receptacle comprises a pair of spacedvertical ribs 14 which are integral with the rear side of the carrier 10at the opposite sides of the holder 13 and whose lower end portionsconstitute a pair of prongs inclined downwardly and rearwardly so thatthey may be hooked onto the lower edge portion 32. in such a way thatthe front face of each prong 140 abuts against the rear side of thepanel 3 or against the very edge at the lower inner end of the aperture30.

The bracket 15 is integral with a vertical contact plate 17 which isperpendicular to the carrier 10 and which is bolted, riveted orotherwise secured to a contact board 18. This contact board 18 may carrya printed circuit or a number of contacts and/ or terminals which may beconnected with the terminals 21, 22 of the respective indicator lamp 2and with the parts of the electronic apparatus, assembly or conductorwhose operation and/or condition is to be indicated by the lamp 2.

' Each receptacle may be mounted in the panel 3 as follows:

The terminals 21, 22 of the respective indicator lamp 2 are hooked on tothe respective contact of the board 18 after the lamp is inserted in thesocket 131 of the respective holder 13. The body of the lamp is thenadjacent to the aperture 11. The operator then tilts the carrier 10 soas to hook the prongs 140 of the lower clamping device onto the loweredge portion 32 whereby the holder 13 (together with the parts 15, 17,18 and the rear portion of the arm 16) extends through and rearwardlybeyond the aperture 30. In the final step, the operator applies somepressure against the upper marginal portion of the carrier 10 so thatthe arm 16 is deformed sufiiciently to allow passage of the end portions161 through and beyond the aperture 30 and the rear side of the carrier10 comes in abutment with the front side of the panel 3. The arm 16 iselastic and moves its stop faces 160 into abutment with the rear side ofthe edge portion 31 whereby the receptacle is automatically retained inrequisite position and without any play because the partially deformedarm 16 continues to press the prongs 140 against the lower edge portion32.

In order to withdraw the receptacle from the panel 3, the operatormerely grasps the frame 12 and exerts a pull in a direction to the left,as viewed in FIG. 2, so as to overcome the bias of the arm 16 and towithdrawv the end portions 161 of this arm through and forwardly beyondthe aperture 30. FIG. 1 shows that two, three or more receptacles may bearranged side-by-side whereby the operator can determine at a glancewhich of the lamps 2 produces a visible signal such as may be indicativeof the condition of the respective assembly. The front side of eachpanel 10 is provided with a horizontal channel 100 adapted to receive asuitable label which identifies the respective receptacle so that theoperator need not memorize the purpose of each lamp but is still in aposition to associate each lamp with a given function, condition and/ oroperation. If desired, the panel 3 may be provided with two or moreapertures 30 each of which may receive one or more receptacles. Thisdepends on the intended use of the panel, i.e., on the nature,dimensions and purpose of the electronic apparatus or system in whichthe panel is being put to use.

The receptacles 1, 1a, 1b preferably consist of insulating thermoplasticmaterial which is at least slightly elastic. For example, thereceptacles may be made of acetal resins of the type known under thenames Delrin and Hostaform C (both trademarks). Suchresins are stable asto form (in undeformed condition of the products) and may be shaped insimple machines of known construction. The stability and/or elasticityof such resins is comparable to that of spring bronze or spring steel.

Each lamp 2 may be built as a triode to indicate the condition of abistable storage or switching assembly in an electronic apparatus. Forexample, such lamps may be provided with strip-shaped fluorescent anodeswhich light up in a stream of electrons when the circuit of therespective electronic unit is completed. The lamps may indicate thecondition of electric conductors and may be provided in large numbers onthe front panel or panels of complicated electronic apparatus.

It goes without saying that the arm 16 of each receptacle may consist ofelastic spring steel or the like which is riveted or otherwise securedto the respective bracket 15. Also, the exact configuration of thesockets 131 will depend on the shape of the lamps 2. The terminals 21,22 of the lamps may be simply inserted into or soldered to the contactson the respective boards 18. These boards may be omitted if the plates17 are provided with means for connecting the lamps 2 into the circuitsof the respective electronic apparatus.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featureswhich fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic andspecific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptationsshould and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and rangeof equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An indicating lamp holding module for removably mounting in anaperture in a supporting panel, said module comprising a plate-likecarrier having a front face and a rear face and provided with asubstantially rectangular observation window opening having oppositelong side edges and opposite short side edges; lamp holding means onsaid plate-like carrier located in the region of said opposite long sideedges of said observation window extending in a direction rearwardlyfrom said rear face so as to provide a receptacle for a lamp incommunication with and visible through said window opening; and twoclamping means located also on said plate-like carrier in the region ofsaid opposite short side edges, respectively, of said observation windowopening and extending also rearwardly from said rear face, at least oneof said clamping means being resilient so that said two clamping meansare adapted to removably clamp said module in an aperture in asupporting panel.

2. An indicating lamp holding module according to claim 1, saidplate-like carrier further comprising a frame surrounding said openingand extending beyond said front face of said carrier.

3. An indicating lamp holding module according to claim 1, said lampholding means defining a cylindrical lamp receiving socket having an'axis which is substantially perpendicular to said short side edges,said opposite short side edges being substantially parallel.

4. An indicating lamp holding module according to claim 1, furthercomprising a contact plate secured to the rear face of said plate-likecarrier and extending rearwardly beyond said lamp holding means.

5. An indicating lamp holding module according to claim 1, wherein saidmodule consists of one piece of elastically deformable synthetic plasticmaterial.

6. An indicating lamp holding module according to claim 1, said lampholding means defining a substantially cylindrical holder integral withsaid plate-like carrier at said rear face thereof and defining asubstantially cylindrical lamp-receiving socket parallel to andcommunicating with said observation opening window, said two clampingmeans being integral with said plate-like carrier at said rear facethereof in the region, respectively, of said opposite short side edges.

7. An indicating lamp holding module according to claim 1, said lampholding means comprising a substantially cylindrical holder integralwith said rear face of said carrier and defining a substantiallycylindrical lamp receiving socket parallel to said observation windowopening, one of said clamping means comprising a bracket adjacent to oneend of said socket and having a hole in registry with said socket whichhas a diameter less than the maximum diameter of a lamp to be receivedin said socket.

8. An indicating lamp holding module according to claim 7, furthercomprising a contact plate secured to said bracket and provided withmeans including a plurality of contacts arranged to be connected withthe terminals of a lamp which is received in said socket.

9. An indicating lamp holding module according to claim 8, said contactplate having a length in longitudinal direction which is less than thelength of said plate-like carrier in said direction.

10. An indicating arrangement, comprising a panel having a front sideprovided with an aperture bounded by a pair of substantially paralleledge portions; and a receptacle including a plate-like carrier having afront side, a rear side adjacent to the front side of said panel andextending across said aperture into abutment with said edge portions,and an observation opening located in front of said aperture, a holdersecured to the rear side of said carrier and defining a lamp-receivingsocket in communication with said opening so that a lamp accommodated insaid socket may be observed from the front side of said carrier, and apair of clamping devices secured to the rear side of said carrier andeach releasably engaging one of said edge portions to retain saidreceptacle in said panel, one of said clamping devices comprising abracket extending from the rear side of said carrier adjacent to one ofsaid edge portions and an elastic arm secured to said bracket at a pointspaced from said carrier and having an end portion engaging said oneedge portion at the rear side of said panel.

11. An indicating arrangement as set forth in claim 10, wherein theother clamping device comprises at least one prong engaging the otheredge portion at the rear side of said panel.

12. A receptacle for indicator lamps, comprising a substantiallyplate-like rectangular panel provided with a rectangular observationopening; a rectangular frame integral with one side of said carrier andsurrounding said observation opening; a substantially cylindrical holderintegral with the other side of said carrier and defining asubstantially cylindrical lamp-receiving socket parallel to andcommunicating with said observation opening so that a lamp accommodatedin said socket may be observed from said one side of the carrier; afirst clamping device provided at said other side and integral with onelongitudinal end portion of said carrier, said clamping devicecomprising a bracket integral with said other side and extendingsubstantially at right angles to said carrier at one end of said holder,an elastically deformable bifurcated arm integral with said bracket at apoint distant from said carrier and comprising a pair of nose-like endportions adjacent to said other side and located at the opposite sidesof said holder, and a locking face provided on each of said endportions; and a second clamping device provided at said other side andintegral with the other longitudinal end portion of said carrier.

13. A receptacle for indicator lamps, comprising a substantiallyplate-like rectangular panel provided with a rectangular observationopening; a rectangular frame integral with one side of said carrier andsurrounding said observation opening; a substantially cylindrical holderintegral with the other side of said carrier and defining asubstantially cylindrical lamp-receiving socket parallel to andcommunicating with said observation opening so that a lamp accommodatedin said socket may be observed from said one side of the carrier; afirst clamping device provided at said other side and integral with onelongitudinal end portion of said carrier; and a second clamping deviceprovided at said other side and integral with the other longitudinal endportion of said carrier, said second clamping device comprising a pairof ribs integral with said carrier References Cited by the ExaminerUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,251,723 8/ 1941 Tinnerman. 2,959,668 11/1960Andrews 340381 X 3,005,089 10/ 1961 Robbins 240151 X NEIL C. READ,Primary Examiner.

I. I. LEVIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN INDICATING LAMP HOLDING MODULE FOR REMOVABLY MOUNTING IN ANAPERTURE IN A SUPPORTING PANEL, SAID MODULE COMPRISING A PLATE-LIKECARRIER HAVING A FRONT FACE AND A REAR FACE AND PROVIDED WITH ASUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR OBSERVATION WINDOW OPENING HAVING OPPOSITELONG SIDE EDGES AND OPPOSITE SHORT SIDE EDGES; LAMP HOLDING MEANS ONSAID PLATE-LIKE CARRIER LOCATED IN THE REGION OF SAID OPPOSITE LONG SIDEEDGES OF SAID OBSERVATION WINDOW EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION REARWARDLYFROM SAID REAR FACE SO AS TO PROVIDE A RECEPTACLE FOR A LAMP INCOMMUNICATION WITH AND VISIBLE THROUGH SIAD WINDOW OPENING; AND TWOCLAMPING MEANS LOCATED ALSO ON SAID PLATE-LIKE CARRIER IN THE REGION OFSAID OPPOSITE SHORT SIDE EDGES, RESPECTIVELY, OF SAID OBSERVATION WINDOWOPENING AND EXTENDING ALSO REARWARDLY FROM SAID REAR FACE, AT LEAST ONEOF SAID CLAMPING MEANS BEING RESILIENT SO THAT SAID TWO CLAMPING MEANSARE ADAPTED TO REMOVABLY CLAMP SAID MODULE IN AN APERTURE IN ASUPPORTING PANEL.